Already Over
by Knight-Dawn
Summary: Collection of SasuSaku drabbles corresponding to the SasuSaku Month 2012 themes. It seems like their relationship only goes from bad to worse. Is there any hope that it can get better, or is it already over before it really began? 17. Younger. "When they were younger, before they started going to the Academy, she'd met with Sasuke a few times. Sasuke had been all smiles then..."
1. Conversation

Conversation

The first morning that they let him out of the hospital, Sasuke wandered aimlessly through the streets of his hometown. They'd been rebuilding after the destruction; it was hardly recognizable to his eyes now.

So much could change in just three years time. _So much._

His feet brought him to the old pier where his father had taught him and his brother the clan's signature technique before he knew where he was going. When he saw where he was, he stopped and stood still, frozen in place.

So many of his memories were tied to this place—he wasn't sure if he was happy or sad that it had escaped being destroyed when so much else had been lost forever.

His thoughts snaped painfully back to the present when he noticed _her_ standing there. _Sakura._

She stood perfectly still, the gentle wind barely grazing her hair as the blossoms that shared her name fell slowly off of the trees all around the two of them. It was early spring, a time of beginnings and endings.

Of all the things that had changed, the thing that hurt him the most was her coldness toward him where affection had once been. Every time he approached her, she always looked the other way and passed him by. Left him alone. Refused to hear him out, or even have the briefest of conversations.

She hated him, and the worst thing about it was that Sasuke _knew_ it was his own damn fault.

He'd hurt her, had broken her heart—no, scratch that, had _shattered_ it into a thousand tiny pieces—when he'd left her and everyone else to get his revenge. And if that alone wasn't terrible enough, he'd almost _killed_ her in his mad lust for vengeance.

It was only after _that_ event that Sasuke realized how badly it would've hurt him to have killed her with his own hands. The guilt would've haunted him forever—he never would've been able to forgive himself. After that battle, Sasuke couldn't lie to himself any more.

He loved her. He really, truly did. Despite all his attempts to push away such feelings, he still felt them, deep down.

But at this point, Sasuke knew his realization had come a little too late. Even though he'd saved her in the end—and had almost _died_ fighting beside her, Naruto, Kakashi, and his brother—she hated him now. And he couldn't blame her for it. He still hated himself.

But understanding that didn't ease the pain he felt at all. When he saw her now, he hurt inside. She'd been the one to save him from the madness he'd fallen to, but now she was the _cause_ of his insanity. He _needed_ her to hear him out, to accept him. And that need was driving him mad all over again.

He could hardly stand it anymore.

Sasuke walked up behind her on the pier and saw her tense up when she sensed his presence. He bit his lip, feeling a catch in his throat.

"Sakura," he muttered, "I know you don't want to listen to me right now, but... I'm sorry. For everything."

He knew this conversation was one-sided, but he had to try. After all, he'd ignored her for _years_ but her voice still got through to him in the end. He knew his would reach her eventually.

He just hoped he wouldn't have to wait as long as she had to.

...

**Author: **In honor of SasuSaku month, I'm going to write a drabble daily for the month of July to go with the themes for each day!

This is a longer drabble than most will probably be, but I wanted to give a good picture of my take on their relationship. It's very much a love/hate, on again off again relationship as I see it, but in the end it comes full-circle when Sakura finally accepts Sasuke again. Then they live somewhat happily ever after. At least, the closest you can _actually _come to such a thing. They still argue and yell at each other, but they always get over it because they know better than to let that destroy their relationship again.

Anyway. It's a little difficult to write from Sasuke's perspective since my take on _him_ is that he _really_ went off the deep end for a while and would still be recovering from that at this point... But in a way, it's interesting to try to see from his point of view.

Well, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy my story!

Reviews are always appreciated as well! :)


	2. Hostage

Hostage

_Please, Sakura... Don't struggle too much. I don't really want to hurt you... But, of course, I can't tell you that._

"Keep it quiet," he whispered menacingly in her ear as he brought the blade of his sword up to her throat. Her eyes widened, and he narrowed his eyes for effect.

It really bothered Sasuke that he had to keep up this act until he got a chance to kill Tobi. But once that wass done... _if_ he survived... Maybe she'd forgive him.

"I'm only taking you hostage, Sakura. Be happy I'm not trying to kill you. I could _easily_ do that as well..."

_I could_ never _do that, Sakura... So please, stop struggling..._

But struggle she did, and it was a fight just to bring her to Tobi.

"Here. I brought her, like you asked," Sasuke said, still holding her tightly in his mock embrace. Oh, if only he could _really_ hold her...

The evil glint in Tobi's eye was enough to chill his soul. He knew immediately that the man had something planned, something dark and devastating...

"Good, Sasuke. Now _kill_ her."

Sakura's eyes widened, and Sasuke was afraid his did the same before he caught himself. "W-what? I thought you said we were taking her hostage—"

"I told you to bring her to me—and now that she's here, I want to watch you kill her."

_He knows_, Sasuke thought. _He knows that I can't_ really _hurt her. He's seen through me all along, hasn't he?_

"Fine," Sasuke had to force the word out, even as his mind was working to form a plan. It's times like that he really envied Itachi's ability to think out every little detail, to keep his cool under pressure. Sasuke could feel the sweat trickling down his back as he threw Sakura to the ground and pointed his sword at her back. He made sure to face away from Tobi, so the man wouldn't see his face.

Sasuke clenched his eyes shut, unable to hold back a few stray tears as he readied his sword for the strike...

"Not so fast! I won't let you kill Sakura!"

Sasuke froze where he stood, the barest of smiles appearing on his face. _What took you so long, moron?_

He'd never been happier to hear Naruto's annoying voice in his life.

...

**Author: **I figure Sasuke's madness was real until the end of the attack on Konoha when he almost killed Sakura, which shocked him back to reality. However, he was still unstable and just kept playing it up so Tobi would underestimate him. And he had to convince Sakura she was in real danger, so she wouldn't give away his true intentions... Just an all around awful situation here.

Leave it to Naruto to jump in and save the day. XD.

I also realized today that this is my first official SasuSaku writing. I'm glad I have a whole plot bunny for their romance in my head already. ^^

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Just Continue: Awesome, I was planning on doing fan-art originally but for lack of time chose fanfics instead because I can write faster. ^^

kloradori: I'm glad you liked it!

Strings of a Puppet: I'm happy you agree. I can't imagine it any other way myself, it's too fitting that he'd have to win her over again in the end after hurting her so badly. :)


	3. Rebel

Rebel

"_I'd do _anything _for you, Sasuke! Just don't leave me!"_

_...Anything, huh?_

Sasuke would have been lying if he'd said that he hadn't thought of things he could make her do for him—a thousand thoughts had run though his mind in the span of that instant, some of them rather _dirty_. Over the next two and a half years, he often found his mind drifting back to those thoughts—to all of the things that could have happened.

He'd left her behind, of course... but what if he _hadn't_? What if he'd taken her with him like she'd so tearfully pleaded?

Would she really have been able to turn her back on her family, her friends, _everyone_ she cared about... for _him_? Did she really _love_ him more than all of them combined?

Would she have been able to prove to Orochimaru that she was worthy of being allowed to live? To stand by Sasuke against everyone she'd once cared about as a traitor and rebel, a missing-nin criminal wanted by the law?

If she could have, then she actually would have been rather useful to him. She could've healed his wounds, tended his hurts... Maybe she could even have eased the pain of loneliness a little while she was with him, if he could have let her into his heart.

She might have even been there to witness his final moments if he'd died... But would she have been strong enough to _let him go _if that had happened?

Sasuke could see her crying her eyes out over his dead body, trying to heal him even though he was beyond help, screaming and pleading with him...

"_Sasuke, please... don't leave me!"_

One way or another, it would _always_ come back to that, wouldn't it?

The night Sasuke left her, he did so for many reasons—because he didn't want anyone to weigh him down by being weak; because he didn't _want_ to care about anyone else enough to take them with him; because, deep down, he _did_ care about her enough to want her to avoid being hurt or killed by Orochimaru or his brother.

That night, Sasuke had doubted that Sakura was strong enough to back up her words.

When he met her again two and a half years later, he was surprised by how much stronger she'd become while he was away—he _almost _regretted leaving her behind.

But after she tried to _kill_ him, when she only succeeded in pointing a kunai at his back before she froze, Sasuke knew he'd been right all along.

She _did_ love him more than anything... but she would not have been strong enough to have joined him—not if it would have meant potentially killing her friends and loved ones.

There was a difference between strength and rebellion. Sakura was, hands down, one of the strongest people Sasuke knew... but she was _not_ a rebel.

And she never would have been.

...

**Author: **I had a bit of trouble writing for this prompt, lol. I wrote three different versions and wound up combining two of those into this one. I'm happy with it now...

The way I look at it, I want to think Sasuke left Sakura behind not just because he thought _she_ was weak, but because he was scared she'd make _him_ weak, too. Or die. There was really nothing he could've done at the time that wouldn't have hurt her in some way...

To my reviewers:

Strings of a Puppet: Yeah, I hope to write something for every prompt. ^^ If I manage to, I may also draw fan-arts to go with them eventually, because most of the writings here are based around the images I'd originally wanted to draw for the month.


	4. Lick

Lick

"Sakura..." Sasuke whipered in her ear, his voice low and husky. As he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his face into her hair, breathing deeply, Sakura trembled in his embrace.

"Sasuke..." She breathed, barely able to speak. She didn't know what she wanted more—she was both lustful and afraid at the same time. She honestly couldn't believe Sasuke had really pinned her against the wall, was actually...

Her mind was made up for her when she felt his tongue against the back of her neck. A moan escaped her mouth as she leaned back toward him and let him lick all the way up to her ear where he nipped her playfully with his teeth. The next thing she knows, his hands are all over her and she's giving in...

…

Sakura woke up panting and flushed, feeling sick to her stomach and more than a little bothered. She couldn't believe that she was _still_ so attracted to Sasuke even after what he'd become. What he'd done to her... How could she still _want_ him so badly when he'd tried to _kill_ her the last time she'd seen him?

It was so _wrong_, even if it felt so _right._

Sakura shook her head, holding back tears as she rolled over on her side. _Get a grip, Sakura. _She told herself.

_...I bet he never dreams of _me_._

…

Far away, in the hideout where he was staying with Tobi and the rest, Sasuke woke up hot and sweaty—and quite relieved that he'd been given his own room to stay in.

He silently prayed Tobi hadn't been spying on him while he slept, and wondered if he'd made any noise when he'd been dreaming.

He brought a hand to his lips almost unconsciously, blushing as he remembered how she had felt against him...

...And realized that the taste of her skin still lingered on his tongue.

...

**Author:** So, I figured this prompt would turn out a little suggestive. I tried to keep it rather muted.

It's awkward enough to share the same dream with someone else, much more so when the dream itself was awkward enough to begin with... Lol.

I know Sasuke never shows any kind of real attraction in the series (especially not like this...) but it's not like he can avoid having dreams like that unless something is seriously wrong with him, right?

That's all for now...

To my reviewers:

Guest: Thanks, I always like coming up with twists! :)


	5. Harvest

Harvest

Sasuke smiled at the little pink-haired bundle sleeping soundly in his wife's arms. The idea that he was actually a _father_ now was still sinking in even though he'd had nine months to think about it.

Sasuke had never really liked children—he'd never given much thought to having a family of his own until after the war. Even then, he'd still had doubts—but all that was forgotten when he held _his_ child for the first time.

Even his niece hadn't awakened so many feelings within him, though he'd certainly felt more comfortable spending time with her than other children.

No, it was completely different when it was his _own_ child.

Looking at this baby now, all he felt was joy and _pride—_their child was nothing short of perfection. A most precious harvest they had yielded together.

The birth of his first child marked the beginning of a new—and hopefully _happier—_chapter of his life.

…

When he brought the baby over to his brother's house later to show off the newest Uchiha, Sasuke was still beaming with pride.

Itachi couldn't help but grin at the sight of his little brother being so careful with his child—his brother always seemed _softer _around Sakura. It reminded him of how Sasuke had always been as a child.

"Here, have a look..." Sasuke smiled, gently pulling back the blankets.

Itachi smiled down at the baby. "You should be proud, little brother. Your daughter is very beautiful."

Sasuke's blank glare was enough for Itachi to realize his mistake. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Er... I mean... Your _son_ is quite _handsome..._"

It won't be the last time his boy is mistaken for a girl, but Sasuke loves him anyway—pink hair and all.

...

**Author: **If you're wondering, the kid's name is Ichigo, which relates to "Ichi" (meaning "one" or "first") but also translates as "strawberry." Which makes it the perfect name... XD.

I just like the thought of a pink-haired son for Sasuke. It'd be kind of cool...

And yes, Itachi's alive and has a family in my head-canon. He's my favorite Uchiha, to be honest, so I want him to live on somehow...

To my reviewers:

Strings of a Puppet: I wish he would too, but I guess at least we can write/read fan fictions that cover it even if he doesn't. I'm glad you like my take on his thoughts... And good, I'm glad you liked that one too. :)


	6. Quarantine

Quarantine

For the first several weeks after Tobi's defeat, Sasuke could hardly even move. His injuries had been extremely bad—even Sakura's medical skills had barely saved him.

His memories faded in and out during that time, but the most vivid ones among them were the times that he had awakened for brief moments to see her standing there, beside him, healing him with her gentle hands. Her hands felt warm even if her eyes were cold toward him.

Once, he had even woken up to see her sleeping in the chair beside his bed. She looked more at peace than he'd seen her for a while. He didn't wake her up—just being able to watch her sleep was enough to make him feel happy. She never usually stayed with him longer than she had to—which made that moment all the more precious while it lasted.

Even after his wounds had healed enough for him to move around—on crutches first, then with a little help, and finally on his own again at last—they kept him locked up in the hospital.

His contact with the outside world was kept to a minimum, as though he were under some sort of quarantine. They only let people visit him one or two at a time, and always sent them away after a short time. As a result, the only people who visited him regularly were his brother, Naruto, and Kakashi. Everyone else seemed to want to stay away... even Sakura. He might _see_ her all the time, but she kept communications as short as possible.

"Why won't they let me out?" He asked Sakura during one of her brief checkups, hoping she'd answer.

She glanced at him with blank eyes and sighed. "They said you're being held here until we're sure your condition is stable."

Sasuke frowned and crossed his arms. "They said my wounds were fully healed days ago!"

"Not _that_," Sakura sighed. "Your _mental_ condition. You know that the only reason you're not in _jail_ right now is because you were acting _insane_."

Sasuke went quiet after that. He hadn't thought of that before—but she was right. He might feel better than he had in ages, but he still didn't know if his mind was back to normal yet. Part of him wondered if his mind would ever fully recover...

Or would that insanity always be lurking deep within?

Maybe keeping him under quarantine was for the best—maybe they should _never_ let him out.

"Alright," Sasuke said, pain bleeding into his voice even though he tried to hide it. "I understand."

He rolled over and closed his eyes...

...And missed the sad, _longing _look in Sakura's eyes as she turned away and left him all alone.

...

**Author: **This prompt was a little hard until I looked up "quarantine" and found out it could apply to "being detained or kept away from society." I guess the definition works even though he's mentally ill, not sick with something contagious.

Tomorrow's prompt looks like fun, though. :)


	7. Teacher

Teacher

"Alright, try again—his name is _Sasuke_. Say it with me._ Sasuke_."

"O-kay!" Itachi's two-year-old daughter burst into a fit of giggles at the way her uncle raised his eyebrow at her. Sakura laughed with her, and Sasuke sighed before walking over to where Yasuko sat by the swing in front of the school where he and Sakura brought her to play.

He kneels down beside her and messes up her jet-black hair. "It's okay, Sakura. She's always called me that—and I don't really mind."

Yasuko laughed again. "Okay's okay!"

Sasuke broke into a grin. "Oh, aren't you a clever little one? Hear that, Sakura? She's _joking_ with us." He reached out and poked her in the forehead and watched in strange, sad amusement as her eyes widened—just like he knows his used to when Itachi did the same to him.

"Huh?" Yasuko asked, looking up at Sasuke in confusion.

Sakura watched as Sasuke smiled and picked her up in a tight embrace, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Don't worry about it, Yasuko," He muttered as he pulled away and patted her on the back. "There doesn't need to be any distance between us. If you learn anything from me, I want it to be that."

"Okay," she mumbled into his shoulder, already nodding off.

Sakura walked over to Sasuke and put a hand on his shoulder. "I think we ought to bring her home—her father should be back from work soon, and the poor thing looks exhausted..."

Sasuke smiled. "Well, she was bouncing off the walls all day. I'd be pretty tired, too."

On the way back, Sakura smiled at him. "You know, Sasuke, you might not think so... But I can tell you're going to be a good father someday."

She watched as a shocked expression crossed his face before he covered it with a smile. "You really think so?"

She nodded, and his entire face lit up. "You're really good with kids, Sasuke. I think you missed your calling—you should've become a teacher instead of joining the police force."

Sasuke chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Now I know you're lying. I don't like kids enough to be a teacher, sorry."

A moment later, he smiled again. "You'd be a great teacher, though. You're brilliant, Sakura—and you love kids, don't you?"

Sakura blushed and laughed at his enthusiasm. "Quit flattering me."

"I'm not flattering you, it's the truth."

Later, when they're back at their own apartment and Sakura was nodding off to sleep, Sasuke wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear.

"...I meant what I said earlier," he told her.

"So did I," she smiled.

"...Well, maybe I'll give it a shot then."

"Becoming a sensei or becoming a father?"

"Both," he smiled, kissing her.

...

**Author: **So, I mentioned Sasuke's niece two one-shots ago... I'm actually working on a story that deals with Itachi and the woman who ends up becoming her mother. Naturally, this is a SasuSaku story, so Itachi's family will only be showing up for scenes like this, where they have a direct impact on the SasuSaku.

Knowing how fond of his family Sasuke seems to be, I'm sure his brother's kids will be a big part of his life, too. (And Sasuke helping Sakura babysit his brother's kids would be hilariously awkward at times...)

Also, to answer a question one of my reviewers asked that might be on some other people's minds as well... The reason Sasuke got detained but Itachi was let go in this is something I thought about a lot. In my head-canon, Sasuke honestly did go crazy for a while, only snapping out of it (somewhat) when he realized he'd almost killed Sakura (during the attack on Konoha.) The way he got out of jailtime was basically because he could claim insanity... which led to him being monitored until the authorities were convinced he was mentally stable.

Itachi, on the other hand, was _always_ cool headed and rational. He never actually went insane. He got out of having to go to jail by telling the Hokage everything-his entire story-and Tsunade was convinced by his story that even though he was the one who committed the massacre he'd been left with no other choice by the elders (especially Danzo.) So, he was also monitored for a while, just not as long as Sasuke was.

Both brothers still get a lot of animosity from people who aren't convinced that they're good people, though.

I hope that makes sense. ^^

To my reviewers:

DMGSilverAirHead03: Thanks for all three reviews! 1. No, you can't. XD. 2. Well, it is kinda hard to tell with babies until you're told... 3. No, it doesn't. :) I know, but ,aybe a little doubting will put him on the right track...? ^^


	8. Dare

Dare

Sakura sighed and sunk down deeper into the steaming water of the hot spring, closing her eyes and allowing herself to enjoy this peaceful moment. For the first time in quite a while she was free to relax and let her thoughts drift aimlessly.

She no longer had to worry about the war or saving Sasuke. Even the stress she'd been under for the weeks that she was nursing him back to health and trying her hardest to ignore him was no longer a problem—she still hadn't completely forgiven him for everything, but she had promised him that she'd give him a second chance after he'd pleaded with her to let him back into her heart.

His face had looked so sad, so desperate... All it had taken was one look in his eyes and the ice she'd so carefully put up around her heart to protect herself from him had melted in an instant. In his eyes, she'd seen a reflection of herself on that dark day when he'd left her all alone.

She couldn't do that to him.

Really, she'd never been able to get him _out_ of her heart in the first place.

A smile crossed her face as she thought of him now, opening her eyes to gaze up at the bright blue sky. Really, he'd made a complete turn around. He was kind and genuine, a true gentleman at heart. She loved the way his eyes would soften around her—it was obvious that he really loved her.

"Sasuke..." Sakura sighed, smiling to herself.

"Ah!" There was a loud crashing sound, and suddenly part of the wall that separated the two sides of the springs fell in... with Sasuke on top of it. He shook his head from the impact, then looked up and froze when he met Sakura's eyes.

Sakura's face turned bright red and she tried to cover herself quickly. Sasuke noticed, then averted his eyes quickly, too late, and blushed furiously. "Um, I can explain—"

"What the _hell_ Sasuke?" Sakura yelled. "You weren't _spying_ on me, were you?"

She hadn't thought it possible, but Sasuke's face went even redder. "Naruto _dared_ me to, I swear!"

"I did _not _dare you to do anything!" Naruto yelled from the other side of the wall, laughing all the while. "It was _your_ idea, dumbass! Don't lie to her!"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and he sighed. "Some friend you are, moron..."

Sakura frowned, then kicked him. "Well hurry up and _get out!_ In case you forgot, I'm _naked_."

She almost wanted to laugh at the expression that crossed his face—as if he were torn between wanting to run for it and actually wanting to _look_...

"_I said GET OUT!" _Sakura yelled.

Sasuke was gone in a flash, and if the splashing, laughing, and cursing from the other side of the wall was any indication he was rather upset with Naruto.

Sakura sunk back into the water, still blushing, and sighed in annoyance. Sasuke had run away too fast for her to get a good look at _him_...

That just wasn't _fair_.

...

**Author: **Oh dear. This one's kind of pushing the T rating a bit, but since I didn't describe anything... I don't see anything wrong with it. XD

Gotta love hot-springs scenes... Sorta. LOL.

To my reviewers:

DMGSilverAirHead03: Yeah, he is isn't he? :) I like writing family interactions...

Katsumi Hatake: Thank you, I'm glad you like them! And that's cool, happy birth-month! (Yes, it is SasuSaku month! :D)

Strings of a Puppet: Thanks for all three reviews! ^^ 1. It'd be so awesome in such a funny way... (I like to think he'd be one of the more BA ninja out there, and a total lady magnet besides... That would make my day to see. Lol.) 2. Yeah, I like to twist some prompts like that. I just didn't want to write a sick scene with them... 3. Aw, that's really sweet! I'm glad you like my stories and interactions so much. ^^


	9. Bravado

Bravado

When her friends and fellow ninja look at her, Sakura smiles and acts like nothing hurts. Over the two and a half years since Sasuke left, she made herself into the ideal female ninja—emotionless, tough as nails, always prepared to do what needs to be done.

The bravado she shows them now is the opposite of the girl she used to be. That Sakura died the day Sasuke left her all alone—that Sakura cried her eyes out until she had no more tears, no more pain, no more needing anyone else to comfort her.

This Sakura is better than that. She doesn't need anyone—doesn't need _Sasuke—_to make her a better person. She knows the only way to get better is to better yourself.

...But this Sakura is _empty_. Incomplete. Missing something she needs to be whole—

Like it or not, Sasuke is still the most important person to her. When people talk about their loved ones, his face always comes to mind even when she tries to forget it.

And that's why, the day she _almost_ killed him (right before _he_ almost killed _her_) she finds herself sobbing over the body of her patient.

The new Sakura had promised herself she wouldn't cry anymore, had promised herself she was stronger than this...

But, when push comes to shove, her bravado shatters.

She's always been the same Sakura—and Sakura will always be in love with Sasuke, forever.

She's just become a lot stronger now because of what he's done to her.

So, before the others walk in and see her tears, Sakura dries her eyes and puts her tough face back on, making herself a new promise...

She won't lie to herself anymore.

...

**Author: **A lot of people think Sakura crying after that battle made her "stupid," or "weak..." Or even better, they say they thought Shippuden Sakura was better than the old one until she cried then.

It makes me kind of sad, because I like her as a character.

She was never weak, really... only when compared to other characters. Put yourself in her shoes and think of how you'd react to half the stuff she's gone through. The fact that she cries in that one chapter doesn't make her weak, it means she had a moment of weakness.

Anyway, that's my two cents on that argument. I tried to capture my thoughts in this drabble...

To my reviewers:

DGMSilverAirHead03: XD, I'm glad you thought it was funny! That's what I was going for. :)


	10. Thunder

Thunder

After the lightning comes the thunder.

He had almost _killed_ her with his chidori, almost struck lightning through her heart and, by extension, through his own.

He didn't break down on the battlefield—no, he _couldn't_ let himself. The breakdown came later, in private, when he knew Tobi and the others were nowhere within reach of him.

He closed the door and locked it, staring at his hand in the darkness—the very hand he'd almost struck her with—and the thunder hit him then, hard.

The shock wave that went through his entire body was deafening.

He collapsed against his bed, screaming in silence, and clawing at his covers. Kicking himself mentally.

How _stupid_ was he? How _insane_?

He'd almost killed Sakura.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled into the sheets. "I'm so... sorry."

The electricity that pulsed through his veins now was enough to shock him back to sanity—enough to convince him that he'd lost his grip on reality a long, long time ago. All this time, he'd been searching for the wrong thing, following the wrong path.

Vengeance had never really been the answer—but he'd be sure to get it now.

Tobi would pay for what he _almost_ led Sasuke to do.

...

**Author: **Like I stated in the first chapter of this, in my story that moment is the turning point in Sasuke's situation. The act he'll spend quite a long time atoning for... So I hope it doesn't seem like I'm reflecting on it too much.

Honestly, I don't see enough people playing up the impact that moment should've had on their relationship.

Hope you like it! Tomorrow's should be lighter, what with a theme of "laughter" and all, but you never know... ^^;

To my reviewers:

Seiren Cross: Thanks, I'm glad you think so! ^^ I'll try my hardest to keep at it. :)

Jenni Saba: Cool, I'm happy people are finding it on both my accounts! ^^

Rokuna Aldebaran: You've got no clue how happy that makes me. I'm glad that my writing gave you that feeling! I'm also happy you think a pink-haired son would be cool. :D


	11. Laughter

Laughter

While they were eating ramen at the newly rebuilt Ichiraku Ramen, Kakashi watched his students as he read his book. Especially Sasuke—this was Kakashi's first time seeing him since he'd been released from the hospital, and Kakashi wanted to see if his old student was really back to his normal self.

He couldn't have been more wrong... or more _surprised_.

As Naruto told a story about one of the missions Team 7 had been sent on with Sai, Sasuke rolled his eyes and feigned jealousy. Or was that real? Sasuke had never been one to show much emotion, period... Not even if he were jesting.

Scratch that. The old Sasuke had never done anything in _jest_.

Sakura rolled her eyes and elbowed Sasuke, telling him Sai had _never_ really replaced him. Unless Kakashi's imagination was playing tricks on him, Sasuke actually _blushed_ at her touch right before they both averted their eyes from each other. _Interesting._

Sakura mumbled something about Sai's nickname for Naruto, which caused Naruto to flush and frown in annoyance at her—and Sasuke to burst into laughter.

_Laughter._

Not a chuckle, not a bemused _humph_, not the maniacal cackle of a madman—all of which Kakashi has heard from Sasuke before—but real, honest _laughter_.

Sakura noticed, too. Kakashi saw the surprise—and _happiness—_on her face before she composed herself. Sasuke had been laughing too hard to see her face brighten. It was really too bad, actually, because Kakashi suddenly realized that Sasuke wanted to see her smile more than anything.

He could tell by the way Sasuke glanced at her when he caught his breath, the way his face fell when he saw her ignoring him again, the way he held his breath and let it go in a long, regretful sigh... Kakashi raised an eyebrow, intrigued at this new development. He couldn't keep a smirk off his face when the irony of Sasuke's situation occurred to him.

_Well, what do you know._ Kakashi had to try hard to hold back his own laughter. _Looks like their roles have actually been reversed..._

Kakashi knew Sakura still loved Sasuke, but he also knew why she was ignoring him now—for the same exact reason Kakashi was watching him more intently than the others.

Watching his students, especially this new Sasuke, Kakashi smiled. Perhaps it would take time to get used to this—perhaps it would take time to forgive him—but, in the end, Kakashi had a feeling everything would turn out just fine...

And when Sasuke made a joke about the ramen, Kakashi joined his students in another round of laughter.

...

**Author: **I wanted to try writing from another person's point of view as they observed Sasuke and Sakura for once, and since the image that came to mind for this prompt was the old team laughing as they ate ramen I chose Kakashi to be that person.

Hope you guys like it! ^^

To my reviewers:

Strings of a Puppet: Thanks for all three reviews! 1. That's fine, people do that all the time. ^^ Yes, I'm glad you remember that episode, because it's the one I was thinking of when I wrote that... only with the roles reversed. Lol. 2. FINALLY. Someone agrees. ^^ She's got plenty of strength, just not the same kind of strength as Sasuke or Naruto... 3. Thanks a lot, I'm glad you like them! I've been wanting to write a SasuSaku story for a while, and this month was the perfect excuse/motivation for me. XD The ideas have been in my head for a long time, honestly...


	12. Steel

Steel

Sasuke lay, barely conscious, pinned beneath debris left over from the shockwave that had flung him away from the point of impact. By the sharp pain he felt every time he drew another breath, he knew he must've broken several ribs... and by the stinging sensations coming from his left leg, and right arm and shoulder, he knew he had external injuries as well. He could feel his own blood slowly seeping out of his wounds, knew with every breath that he was one moment closer to dying.

He knew he wouldn't make it out of this alive. The words his former team-mate had spoken to him once echoed in his mind—and he knew they were true.

"_The next time our fists meet, we will both die!"_

Sasuke and Naruto had both rushed Tobi—Sasuke with chidori and Naruto with Rasengan—hitting him at the same instant to create the huge explosion of power they both knew the meeting of their fists would create. There was no way in hell Tobi had survived that—so it was worth dying for.

Still, a smile crossed his face as he remembered how quickly Naruto's wounds always healed. Maybe his... his _friend_ was wrong. Maybe they wouldn't _both_ die.

Sasuke had a feeling Naruto would live. Fulfill his heart's desires—become Hokage, marry the girl of his dreams... A sudden pang of jealousy hit Sasuke when he remembered who that girl was.

Sakura. Naruto had been in love with her for _years, _but Sakura had never had eyes for anyone but Sasuke.

_Well, too late for that now..._ Sasuke felt an ache in his chest. He was going to die the very way he'd always known he would—alone. No one would weep for him this time, not even Sakura.

No, she hated him far too much after all the pain he'd caused her.

"_Sasuke, please, don't do this..."_

He remembered the steel of his blade against her throat, the look of fear in her eyes as she stared into his—perhaps remembering the last time they'd met in battle, when he'd almost sent her to her death. He remembered what he'd said to her to try to keep her quiet—for no better reason than the fact that he couldn't bear to hear her beg and plead with him when he had no plan to hurt her at all. What Tobi had ordered—

"_Kill her, Sasuke..."_

He remembered how he had raised his blade against her, the way she had tensed up beneath him, how Naruto had shown up at the last moment the way he always did... Just in time to save her, but to late to save Sasuke.

No, his only hope was that death would claim him quickly now, so this constant pain would end.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, blood trickling out of his mouth as he closed his eyes. "Everyone... _Sakura_... please... _forgive me_..."

The blackness claimed him, only to be replaced by the familiar sensation of healing chakra flowing into his body from the touch of gentle hands...

"Don't you _dare_ die on me Sasuke... Or I promise I'll _never_ forgive you."

...Her voice called him back from the darkness once again.

...

**Author: **I sincerely hope to see Tobi be defeated by the very move Naruto and Sasuke have used against each other so many times. I mean, come on, it's one of the most devastatingly powerful attacks possible... And what would be a cooler end to the Big Bad then going down with a move that Naruto and Sasuke discovered by fighting each other but (in the end) execute together, as a team?

Anyway, in my concept, that's what happens.

Also, this one-shot refers back the the scene from chapter two, where Sasuke takes Sakura hostage and Tobi orders him to kill her. ^^ (In the end, I'll probably add a "chronological order" list in the Author's Notes of the last chapter so you can re-read them in "order" if you want to so it's less confusing...)

To my reviewers:

Jenni Saba: Don't worry about it, I'm neglecting a LOT of my stories. ^^; Some go for months without updates if I can't find motivation to work on them, though I'm reluctant to dub any of them "dead" because I am still working with them slowly...

Strings of a Puppet: Lol, I love Kakashi, too! (But Itachi's my favorite by far... XD) And I'd love to see something like that too. ;-;

kloradori: That's kind of what I was going for. ^-^ They're not exactly oblivious at this point, but they're also definitely not exactly in a relationship yet... Kakashi (in my head-canon) eventually starts giving Sasuke advice on "winning her over" along with help from other people... But I think some of that will shine through in a future drabble if it goes according to plan. :D


	13. Hallucinate

Hallucinate

Sasuke was walking alone at sunset, staring out at the sun with tired eyes—he hadn't slept well in a long time—when the wind picked up and blew into his face.

Carried on it was a familiar scent—even before the petals of the pink blossoms drifted by, he knew the smell of sakura flowers. It was a pleasant smell, supposedly calming...

But for Sasuke, the smell only made his heart race.

A vision appeared before his eyes—a vision from his past, the pink-haired girl with teary eyes begging him not to leave her.

"_I love you so much I can't even stand it!"_

There for a moment, then gone. The wind died down, and the smell that had brought the memory so vividly to life faded slowly away, bringing clarity to Sasuke's vision.

Sakura hadn't _really_ been there just now—the smell of the sakura blossoms had made him hallucinate. She had certainly _seemed_ real, though.

Sasuke sighed, shaking his head, and walked back towards the hideout where he was supposed to be sleeping. The wind stirred again, gently this time, and before he could help himself he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, letting the air fill his lungs. The smell was faint, but still there.

_Sakura..._

She had liked to wear the scent of cherry blossoms as perfume. He remembered... The smell would linger where she'd been even long after she'd gone away.

He remembered, even though he thought such things had no effect on him.

And that night, when he pulled up the covers and shut his eyes, he slept better than he had in quite a while, her sweet scent lingering in his mind...

..

**Author: **I'm really sorry I didn't get this up yesterday - I plan to upload today's prompt later tonight as well to make up for it. I hurt my left wrist at karate, which made it a little harder to type because I've had to wear a brace for the past two days... ^^; I can still draw and write on paper, though, and it's not hurt that bad so I should be okay tomorrow or the next day at the latest...

I also got distracted by an inspiration to draw something completely unrelated to this. ^^

Anyway, this drabble could actually be the one set right before "Lick..." Kind of explains why Sasuke, at least, had such a dream about Sakura. ;P

To my reviewers:

Guest: Of course! ありがとう!

DMGSilverAirHead03: Thanks x4! 1. I agree. She's well balanced in my opinion; strong, but not over-the-top (like some *cough* the Uchiha *cough* are...) 2. Yep, he's on his way back to normal after that. :) 3. Cool, me too! New Sasuke's lots of fun... More like his OLD self, actually - just with a little more angst at times. ^^ 4. That'd be awful - I was talking to a friend about that a long time ago, actually. It'd be sad... I don't see him dying, honestly. Almost dying, maybe... But Kishi's not evil enough to kill him off. :)


	14. Armor

Armor

"_I'm hurting now because I **had** those ties! I lost everything once, I never want to go through that again..."_

He shielded himself in the armor of indifference, not wanting to let anyone get to close—he was too scared to get hurt again, to face _loss_ again. But, day by day, his armor was breaking down.

"Sasuke, do you want to come eat ramen with us?" Sakura smiled at him brightly.

"...Sure, why not?" Sasuke sighed, trying hard not to smile back. _Just keep ignoring her, stupid..._

That was hard to do the way Sakura kept glancing at him from the corners of her eyes before looking away again. He met her eyes once by mistake and she blinked and turned away quickly, blushing.

Sasuke rolled his eyes—all the while trying his hardest not to think about how fast his heart was racing at the moment.

_Don't make eye contact again... It's too dangerous._

He didn't want to start falling for her by mistake—love was the last thing he needed.

"_Run, cling to your wretched life... Hate me, grow stronger, and meet me again when we share the same eyes..."_

No, he could not afford such a weakness. Sasuke had to be strong if he wanted his revenge.

So he put up walls around his heart, refused to let anyone slip in under his armor. He was a loner, an avenger, nothing more.

He didn't want anyone, didn't need anyone, didn't care about—

"What took you two so long?" Naruto asked, grinning at his team-mates.

Sakura smiled and glanced at Sasuke. "We took our time, that's what!"

Sasuke smirked and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, moron. You had a head-start, that's all."

—He didn't care about _anyone_, not even Naruto or _Sakura_. They were temporary distractions, nothing more. And if his heart race picked up sometimes around them (especially _her_) that was nothing to be concerned about.

It didn't mean anything.

...At least, that's what he told himself.

...

**Author:** Wow, a drabble from before Sasuke left Konoha! A few of the earlier episodes have tiny little moments that can be (possibly) taken as hints. If you ask me, I think Sasuke was trying a little _too_ hard to be indifferent towards Sakura.

If he really did struggle with ignoring his team-mates, then it lends evidence to the fact that he really did care about them...


	15. Blabbermouth

Blabbermouth

"Sasuke, is there anything you want to talk to me about?"

Sasuke is startled by Itachi's sudden appearance behind him—he'd been lost in thought staring out over the water from the old pier. Itachi smiled at him, sitting down next to him with a clap on the shoulder. Sasuke stared at him in confusion until Itachi smirked knowingly at him and winked.

"So, I heard you're having girl problems, little brother...?"

Sasuke's expression turned to one of total shock. "What? How did you... Okay, who's the blabbermouth that told you?"

Itachi chuckled to himself. "Oh, I have my informants..."

"Kakashi and Naruto?" Sasuke asked, clearly annoyed. "...They're gonna pay for that."

Itachi grinned. "I'd be careful if I were you—being cruel is the last thing you want to do if you want Sakura to let you back into her heart."

Sasuke frowned and crossed his arms, blushing at the mention of Sakura's name. Itachi positively beamed to see Sasuke acting like this—he could tell his brother was _really_ in love with this girl. Her coldness to him was probably _killing_ him.

Sasuke humphed. "And what makes you an expert?"

"Well, I _am_ kind of engaged, little brother," Itachi smirked. "I think I know a thing or two."

Sasuke flushed at his brother's tone—he was _well_ aware that Itachi knew a "thing or two," considering the fact that he was already on his way to becoming a father. Sasuke wasn't sure he needed _that_ kind of advice yet... He was more concerned with getting Sakura to _talk _to him first.

Finally, Sasuke sighed and looked at Itachi pleadingly. "Alright, then. What should I do to win her over?"

Itachi smiled and shook his head. "Well, first of all, don't treat it like a battle... The way into her heart is through kindness, not by force." At this point, Itachi chuckled and patted Sasuke on the shoulder. "...I know that's going to be hard for you, dear little brother, but you have to at least try."

Sasuke looked down at their reflections in the water and tried to smile. "Alright, I'll... be nice."

"That's my little brother," Itachi grinned, standing up while messing up Sasuke's hair. Sasuke glared at him, but the smile that graced his face a moment later was an honest one.

"Thanks for the advice... big brother."

"Anytime," Itachi said, winking.

...

**Author: **Brotherly interaction! XD

Yes, Sasuke, your brother can give you some good advice... Somehow, I'd like to see these two having a normal conversation like this one. I bet Itachi'd be concerned the moment he heard his little brother was getting the cold shoulder from the girl he's in love with... Even if he knew the story behind it all.

Somehow, this scene is the first thing that popped into my head when I read the prompt, "blabbermouth."

To my reviewers:

Guest: I agree, some prompts work out better than others. That's always the case with my stories. Hope you like this one!

Katsumi Hatake: It's okay, I'm glad you're still enjoying them! Here's another! ^^


	16. Shadows

Shadows

The shadows in his eyes—she saw them now, after having been his team-mate for the past while. It felt like such a short time... Yet, it also felt like so much had happened, so much had changed.

Watching him stare at her, willing her to go away—to go back to bed and just let him walk away into the shadows—she knew the feelings she'd had for him back in the Academy really did only amount to a childish crush.

She'd looked at him and seen someone who was perfect in every way. Handsome, aloof, strong, smart, good at everything... Everything that people expected of an elite Uchiha. She looked at him and thought he could do no wrong.

She knew better than that now.

Over the time they'd been a team, she'd gotten to know him better—he had slowly started to open up to her. She'd learned that he wasn't perfect... that he had many flaws, insecurities that lurked deep under the surface.

She looked at him, and saw that he was _human._

And, as strange as it would've seemed to her in the past, his imperfections were what caused her affection to deepen into what she could truly call "love."

He wasn't perfect, no one could be. She wanted to help him defeat the demons that lurked in the shadows of his heart—wanted to comfort him, to be there for him, to give him the support he needed just like everyone else. Together, maybe they could each make up for the other's flaws.

That's why the shadows in his eyes hurt her so badly now—why his rejection of her was a crushing blow.

Because she loved Sasuke so deeply that she couldn't stand the thought of losing him to the darkness before he even really gave her a chance to prove herself to him.

...

**Author: **I'm sorry this prompt's a day late-I didn't have a solid idea for it, really, and I've been kind of low on energy the past couple days. (If it's not one thing, it's another... We're in the middle of a heat wave where I live and it's really miserable weather.)

I'll try to type my idea for "Younger" up tonight, but if I don't finish it I'll be sure to get back on track tomorrow. :)

Also, due to travel plans, I'll probably be posting the last three on the 29th all together. Otherwise they'll be more than a week late. ^^;

Hope you guys like this one! I'm personally fond of the idea that Sakura really only had a "crush" on Sasuke at the start, but it developed into real devotion over the... well, until he left. :C

To my reviewers (I'm shocked at the amount I've gotten since posting the last chapter!) :

Guest: I'm glad you thought so! ^^ And thanks for the advice, though I must point out that these aren't meant to be long; the long ones are sort of the exceptions. I have daily time limits to try to meet with them... And while it may be some time before I get around to writing it, these all connect in with a story idea I've had for a while. Which will be... very long.

Strings of a Puppet: Thanks for all four reviews! 1. Yep, I'm glad you liked that one! 2. It's not superpowers, it's just... determination? I think I'd lose my mind if I couldn't write/draw something for an extended about of time. And same for me - that's why I figured smell could have such an effect on him. Sometimes I remember scents better than images... 3. Me too, and someone pointed out to me that not a lot of people write about before he left anymore. That's kind of sad - it was honestly my favorite time of the show until the very recent parts. 4. And I have to agree... Itachi's my favorite character. It's too bad such scenes will never happen in canon...

DMGSilverAirHead03: Thanks for all three reviews! 1. XD, yeah... Smells can do strange things to your subconscious... 2. Agreed, Sasuke's an idiot for trying to convince himself it's nothing. At least admit to yourself that you like her... 3. Yeah, I love it. ^^


	17. Younger

Younger

Though it can be hard to remember, sometimes—lately all Sakura sees when she thinks of Sasuke is the cold, distant look on his face that he wore for years or the look of madness that had claimed him most recently—once in a while an entirely different Sasuke will haunt Sakura's mind.

When they were younger, before they started going to the Academy, she'd met with Sasuke a few times. Their mothers were friendly with each other if not best friends, and with kids around the same age it was only natural that they had some things in common.

Sakura can remember one time when she'd noticed Sasuke peeking out from behind his mother's skirt—how young must they both have been then? He'd barely come up to her knees!—and little Sasuke had gone wide-eyed when he saw her staring at him. He'd blushed and hidden his face again, and Sakura had started giggling. She still remembered the amused looks on their mothers' faces—as if they knew something their children didn't.

And another memory, from when they were a little older—she'd seen Sasuke following his older brother through town while Itachi ran errands for their parents. Sasuke had been all smiles then—it was obvious that he adored his elder brother.

"Brother, can I hold the basket?"

"I don't know, little brother... It's a bit heavy for you, I think."

"I can hold it! I can hold it!"

"...Well, if you insist," Itachi said, chuckling as he handed the basket full of supplies over to Sasuke, who swayed a little at first but managed to hold it.

Sasuke beamed up at his brother. "See?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes, you're getting stronger all the time, Sasuke! ...I still think I should carry it home, though. Okay?"

"Aw... Okay, brother."

Itachi took it back, easily holding it in one arm, and noticed Sakura watching them. He grinned, then fished out a piece of candy from the basket. "Here, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at it in confusion—he didn't like sweets, so why was Itachi giving him candy?

Itachi messed up Sasuke's hair. "Go give it to that girl, stupid. Girls like candy."

Sasuke looked up and noticed Sakura for the first time, and looked back at Itachi like he was crazy. "Why would I want to—"

"Because you should always be nice to girls," Itachi said with a wink—knowing it'd go over his little brother's head.

Sasuke sighed and walked over to Sakura, holding out the candy without looking her in the eye. "Here, for you."

Sakura blushed and smiled, taking it from him. When their hands touched briefly, Sasuke blushed furiously and ran back to Itachi—who had been grinning to himself the whole time.

"Good job, Sasuke."

"Now can we go home, brother?"

Sakura had watched them walk home, and had eaten the candy with a smile as she thought of the boy who had given it to her...

...Sakura sighed as she gazed out of her window. One way or another, she couldn't get Sasuke out of her head. And while the memories of their younger days surfaced less often, it was all the more heartbreaking when they did.

"What happened to that sweet kid you used to be...?" Sakura wondered aloud. "Is he gone forever?"

She knew about the massacre now, of course—and remembered the sudden change in him that had occurred literally overnight. He'd lost his entire family, had been betrayed by the brother he held in such high esteem... It was no wonder he'd become so cold and distant, so preoccupied with lust for revenge.

"...Is there any way to bring you back?" Sakura whispered the question to the night, knowing no one could answer.

...

**Author: **Well, while I'll admit I was falling behind even before this happened... I've got to say I might actually HAVE to finish this story late. :C

I typed most of this chapter before going on a camping trip, and planned to catch up fully when I got back by working on stuff today and tomorrow, but I managed to hurt my RIGHT hand thumb in the van door pretty badly. DX It's not broken, thankfully, but it IS badly bruised and I'm not supposed to move it much until it heals fully, which could take a week or so.

And, of course, by then I'll be pretty far behind. :C

I promise I will finish this story as soon as I can, it just won't be on time for the end of the month.

To my reviewers (sorry, I'll have to keep it a bit short this time...):

Guest: Thanks, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who picked up on that. ^^ Sorry for the delay, but I will finish this when I can type again!

DMGSilverAirHead03: I agree. :C It was so sad to see it happen...


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